Arne Slot was challenged by pundit Clarence Seedorf over his treatment of Liverpool star Mohamed Salah.

The Egyptian was omitted from the Reds’ travelling squad to Inter Milan after claiming he had been thrown under the bus at Anfield and stating that he no longer had a relationship withSlot, having being benched for three successive games.

Those comments dominated the build-up to Liverpool’s tough test at the San Siro, a fourth straight game without Salah in the starting XI. But Slot’s side did their talking on the pitch with a much-improved performance, winning 1-0 through a penalty scored by Dominik Szoboszlai – himself deputising for regular penalty-taker Salah.

Slot was able to smile and joke with the Amazon Prime panel, but he was put undre pressure by fellow Dutchman and former Inter player Seedorf, who quizzed him repeatedly on the Salah debacle.

Seedorf had commented before kick-off that he felt Salah’s comments revealed a “lack of communication” from the club, and especially the manager, towards the player.

“That’s your opinion,” Slot smiled, when Seedorf suggested it should be the club making the first overture to the player after a dispute.

“You say, ‘everyone makes mistakes in life’, but does the player know he’s made a mistake?

“I haven’t said that I’m not going to talk to him. But then you have to ask, should the initiative come from me? That’s another question,” Slot posited as Seedorf continued to press.

“But the focus tonight should be, for example on Virgil [van Dijk], Ibou Konate, he’s had maybe a few difficult moments recently but he played an outstanding game today against two very good strikers.”

The Reds moved up to eighth in the league phase table, level on points with Inter, who dropped to fifth after a first European defeat at home since a loss to Bayern Munich in 2022.

Slot continued: “It was really hard for the players to concede in the last minute against Leeds [in the Premier League last weekend]. You concede and then a lot of things are being said. Normally, that affects players as well because he’s been so influential for the club and the players, so it’s never nice when something happens to their teammates.”

Pressed on the situation, he attempted to direct the conversation back to the result - a first defeat for Inter Milan at home in the Champions League in three years.

Szoboszlai’s late penalty sealed all three points for Liverpool (Fabrizio Carabelli/PA Wire)

Slot said: “I think tonight should be all about what we’ve done over here in a stadium like this, all the focus should be on [the players] tonight. I can fully understand if I go Friday into the press conference that all questions will be about Mo but I think these players deserve now that we speak about them.”

He later clarified: “I didn’t say anything about who should make the first step, or whatever, that was [Seedorf’s] opinion.”

Some fans made their feelings known at the San Siro (Getty Images)

Slot has said he has held conversations with Salah to explain his decisions in dropping the scorer of 250 goals but admitted it was a “short” talk they had on Monday.

Salah will go to the African Cup of Nations next week and is only available for Liverpool’s game against Brighton before then.

Van Dijk also side-stepped the issue when interviewed after the game but suggested the door was open for a reconciliation.

“It’s difficult but it’s a collective difficult situation that we’re all in,” he said. “Between Mo and the club, things are going on and he’s not here today, that’s the reality. I don’t think anything has changed in terms of our focus and determination.”

Asked whether Salah should apologise, the Liverpool captain said: “I’m not the one to speak if someone has to apologise. It’s him airing his feelings for the past couple of days. That’s something the club has to deal with, obviously, me as well.

“I’ve known him for such a long time, we are good friends and have been through highs and lows. We speak and those types of things will stay indoors as it should be. We have to brace ourselves and be against the outside noise.”